Unleashing Southwest Employees!

[chase]

Southwest plying high with Love rally



[size=-1]03:50 PM CDT on Thursday, May 5, 2005 [/size]

[size=-1]By VIKAS BAJAJ / The Dallas Morning News [/size]

Plying its trademark comic wit, Southwest Airlines held a 1960s-style rally Thursday at complete with a The Supremes’ knock-off trio to launch the next phase of its lobbying effort to repeal the Wright amendment.

Top executives, some dressed in tie-dyed shirts, told hundreds of employees at the company’s Love Field headquarters that they would be the key to a fight to lift flight restrictions at the city airport. They also unveiled a new Web site - www.setlovefree.com - and asked employees to tell two people a day about it and the federal law it’s seeking to topple.

The Web site is the latest in a series of initiatives Southwest has undertaken since November to convince Congress to repeal the 1979 Wright amendment. The law restricts flights from Love Field to Texas and neighboring states and was designed to protect the then new Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

“We’re not in the airline business, we are in the freedom business,” Ron Ricks, senior vice president for law, airports and public policy, told employees to loud cheers. “It’s time the citizens of Dallas and the people of this country have the freedom to move around the country.”

Kevin Cox, D/FW’s chief operating officer, responded that Southwest “has the freedom to fly about the country from a vibrant, state-of-the-art facility: DFW International Airport.” D/FW also says its site, www.keepdfwstrong.com, is the place to go for “factual, unbiased information.”
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I ran several sample fares to illustrate what competition can do for lowering fares out of DFW. I used AUS as the comparison with that being the closest SWA city(I chose AUS to keep the mileage between destinations close for comparison purposes) to the following destinations: SEA, BWI, BUF, SDF & MSP to see what competition could do for lowering fares....in all situations the fares out of AUS were higher than in DFW except for one pairing....DFW-MSP...why the difference?...one low cost carrier, Sun Country undercuts AA on this route from DFW....imagine how much money all travelers could save if Southwest could offer low cost flights from Love Field? The numbers are below & you can decide for yourself after viewing what competition can do for the residents of North Texas and any city that Southwest flies to.

DFW - BWI 1382 miles
Avg 1 way fare $221.30
Avg RT fare - $420.47
Largest carrier on this route, AA Avg 1 way fare is $228.55
Low cost carrier on this route is Delta Avg 1 way fare is $216.82

AUS - BWI 1340 miles
Avg 1 way fare $191.35
Avg RT fare $363.57
Largest carrier on route,SWA Avg 1 way $193.10
Low cost carrier on this route is CAL Avg 1 way fare is $186.24

DFW - SEA 1670 miles
Avg 1 way fare $259.38
Avg RT fare $492.82
Largest carrier on route AA, Avg 1 way $305.41.
Low cost carrier on route, DAL avg 1 way fare $209.82

AUS - SEA 1764 miles
Avg 1 way fare $179.45
Avg RT fare $340.96
Largest carrier on route AA, avg 1 way fare is $193.07 (cheaper for AA customers to fly to SEA from Aus than DFW...hmmm, why is that I wonder? competition maybe?
Low cost carrier on route, CAL avg 1 way fare $168.91

DFW - BUF 1212 miles
Avg 1 way fare $194.08
Avg RT fare $368.75
Largest carrier on route AA, avg 1 way fare $226.12
Low cost carrier on route NWA, avg 1 way fare is $141.04

AUS - BUF 1360 miles
Avg 1 way fare $158.82
Avg RT fare $301.76
Largest carrier on route AA, avg 1 way fare $184.51 (again AA customers have to go to Austin to get the cheaper fares)
Low cost carrier on route, NWA, avg 1 way fare $123.16

DFW - SDF 733 miles
Avg 1 way fare $218.89
Avg RT fare $415.89
Largest carrier on route AA, avg 1 way fare $220.78
LCC on route, DAL, avg 1 way fare $208.93

AUS - SDF 873 miles
Avg 1 way fare $176.84
Avg RT fare $336
Largest carrier on route DAL, avg 1 way fare $183.34
Low cost carrier on route SWA, avg 1 way fare is $152.90

DFW - MSP 853 miles

Avg 1 way fare $235.09
Avg RT fare $446.67
Largest carrier on route AA, avg 1 way fare $275.79
LCC on route is Sun Country, avg 1 way fare $132.63

AUS - MSP 1035 miles

Avg 1 way fare $311.17
Avg RT fare $591.22
Largest carrier on route, NWA, avg 1 way fare $332.72
LCC on route is AA, avg 1 way fare $311.30


**SWA doesn't fly to MSP (codeshares with ATA yes but not directly) but it is the only incident of the in which DFW fares are lower....a low cost carrier is at DFW that flies to MSP & not in AUS....this illustrates additionally why the fares in the Dallas area are too high due to the Wright Amendment.

Yes this shows that Southwest is not always the lowest fare in certain situations...however the pressure of Southwest in markets to keep fares low is still significant.

GET RID OF THE WRIGHT AMENDMENT!​

Write your congressmen & senators to seek getting rid of this anti-competitive provision.​

One last comparison, our newest city, PIT-PHL pairing is significant....this data doesn't take into account any recent fare changes due to SWA.

PIT-PHL 267 miles
Avg 1 way fare $260.37 (Highest SWA fare $79+ taxes, lowest $29+taxes)
Avg RT fare $494.70 (Highest SWA fare $160 + taxes, lowest $58+ taxes)
Largest carrier on route USAir, avg 1 way fare $262.33
LCC on route, UAL, avg 1 way fare $224.85 (I hate to use the term low cost carrier with that price!)

Finally the folks of PIT will be saving some money!!!!

 

[enigma]

Chase, I can appreciate your zeal, but now you've probabaly just ticked off about twenty thousand Dallas area AA employees. They can call their congressman just as well.

enigma

 

[80drvr]

Chase, I can appreciate your zeal, but now you've probabaly just ticked off about twenty thousand Dallas area AA employees. They can call their congressman just as well.

enigma

Agreed. I think I'll do just that.

 

[Clutch_Cargo]

And while you're at it... tell them to bring back hot pants for the F/A's! Just a thought. I have no dog in this fight so I'll now shut my mouth.

cc

 

[BoilerUP]

Its unfortunate the top financial performer in a deregulated industry has antiquated regulations placed on it preventing it from competiting, which was the whole point of the deregulation in the first place.

 

[chase]

Enigma,

I agree with you 100%....I hope they express their views also to their congress reps....its a free country & their views should be heard (don't think more than a few dozen DFW folks read this though ). I also realize you may be pulling my chain so I'm not making any of my comments below toward you personally.

The AA employees I know are great folks & desperately want their company to do well....there is plenty of room for several carriers in the DFW metroplex area. Most importantly the AA employees/unions & management should be praised for their improved employee relations that have been made over the last 2 years....it is nothing short of remarkable....no other legacy carrier has made the type of improvements in communications & trust than this airline....they are bucking the trend for legacy carriers in how they have dealt with 911 & the aftermath.

That being said, the 20,000 metroplex AA employees or for that matter any employee group should not be used as a justification to keep North Texas residents & other US residents from the same type of low fares that others in the country (& in Texas) currently have access to due to the WA. The chart in my first post shows that clearly I think you would agree.

With the improvements & courage shown by the AA leadership over the last few years I would say they are fully capable of defending themselves in the economic arena.......I would hope the AA employees if given the option would prefer to compete fairly vs. trying to use legal remedies to impose an economic solution that prevents them the opportunity to become a more vibrant & competitive airline.

We've had conversations back & forth before Engima & your comments aren't taken as a slam or critique but in this argument about the WA I often hear folks talk about the AA employees as a group that is incapable of taking on this challenge...I'm not saying you are....I personally believe they are a great group of folks & can compete with anyone if their leadership can show them the path to success....always a sign of a good leader I think.

Cheers

 

[enigma]

Chase, you're going waay too deep. I was just joshin ya. My comment really had nothing to do with AA. Next time I should remember to include the little smiley thingamabob.

Now that you mention it, AA can compete. I totally agree. I've been quite impressed with Arpey and company over the last few years. (With advanced apologies to my TWA friends)

I think that the main opposition to ending the WA is DFW airport, not AA. They are the ones who are afraid of a little competition. As an aside, how can Senator Hutchison speak to the issue without acknowledging her conflict of interest? If I read the news correctly, her hubby is on the DFW board. Heck, I wish that Fort Worth would encourage a carrier to use Meacham. FTW is a block off of 820 (not nearly as inaccessable as some would have us to believe), and already has a decent terminal. There's money to be made at all three airports if you ask me.

enigma

 

[chase]

Enigma,

I thought you were yanking my chain ...no offense taken & as I said in my post the majority of my reply isn't directed toward you....again your right that the major obstacles, DFW officials & FW elected officals are concerned for the unknown.

Their future is tied to the leadership & vision of the individual carriers who are there but that is the case for any airport around the country.....I believe they should be encouraging AA & other carriers to find ways to become more competitive so when (not if) the WA is repealed, these carriers are sitting around with a "woo is me" attitude.....it is a complicated issue & a mere FO can not fully comprehend (no duh!!) the challenges these men & women face but good leadership in my view can overcome alot of obstacles....I certainly don't sell short the vision of the AA leadership but the DFW leadership could learn some lessons from how AA has handled their challenge & take the mantle & find some workable solutions.